The preliminary-card bout aired on FX. It
preceded UFC 144’s pay-per-view main card at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama,
Japan.

Mitsuoka, who took the fight on just a few weeks’ notice for injured George Sotiropoulos, had his moments. But “The Fireball Kid” got his opening in the second round.

Both fighters crouched low and looked for openings early in the fight. Mitsuoka got the better of the initial exchanges, but Gomi answered with a series of big knees to the gut. Gomi got more comfortable, but Mitsuoka continued landing sporadic but effective power punches as he stalked after his fellow countrymen. He then dropped Gomi with a short right hook, took the mount, eventually transitioned to a mounted triangle choke, and torqued the submission. Gomi survived, but Mitsuoka took the first round.

Gomi picked up the pace in the second round and threw punches in bunches, though Mitsuoka popped him with some counter-shots. But Gomi continued the blitzkrieg assault and threw dozens of punches from the clinch and while chasing. Mitsuoka slowed the assault with a single-leg-takedown attempt, but Gomi bruised his ribs with punches and continued the barrage as Mitsuoka went to his knees and covered up. The ref warned Mitsuoka to fight back, but with no signs of life, the bout was halted.

Gomi got the TKO victory at the 2:21 mark for his 33rd career victory.

Gomi (33-8 MMA, 2-3 UFC) snaps a two-fight skid with the victory and likely saved his UFC job. Mitsuoka (18-8-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC), who had fought with Japanese promotions DREAM and World Victory Road before his UFC debut, spoils a recent 4-1 run.